1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to connector assemblies, and more particularly to a connector assembly having a connector structure where a board-side connector provided at an end of the printed board of an electronic apparatus is connected to a cable-side connector provided at an end of a cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams for illustrating a conventional cable-side-connector-to-board-side-connector connection structure, showing a cable-side connector 10 and a board-side connector 40. FIG. 3A shows a state where the cable-side connector 10 is connected to the board-side connector 40. FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the circled part of FIG. 3A. In each drawing, X1-X2 indicates the widthwise directions of the cable-side connector 10 and the board-side connector 40, Y1-Y2 indicates the lengthwise directions of the cable-side connector 10 and the directions in which the contacts of the board-side connector 40 extend, and Z1-Z2 indicates the vertical (height) directions of the cable-side connector 10 and the board-side connector 40. Further, Y1 indicates the direction in which the cable-side connector 10 is connected to the board-side connector 40.
The cable-side connector 10 has a connector module 12 and latch claws 13 provided in a shield cover assembly 30, and has a pull tab 15 projecting backward (in the Y2 direction). The cable-side connector 10 is connected to an end of the cable 11. The cable-side connector 10 has a plate-like insertion part 18 on which contacts are arranged in the center of an enclosure part 31 formed by a shield cover on the Y1 side of the cable-side connector 10. Further, the cable-side connector 10 has end hook parts 14 of the latch claws 13 positioned on the X1 and X2 sides outside the enclosure part 31. When the pull tab 15 is pulled, the latch claws 13 on both sides deform so that their respective hook parts 14 are displaced in the X1 and X2 directions so as to move away from each other.
The board-side connector 40 has a connector main body part 43. The connector main body part 43 has a main body 41, which is a resin molded article. Contacts 50 are incorporated in the main body 41 in parallel arrangement. The connector main body part 43 projects in the Y2 direction, and is covered with a shield member 42. Latch metal fittings 45 and 46 project in the Y2 direction from the X2 end part and the X1 end part, respectively, of the main body 41. The connector main body part 43 has a shape corresponding to that of the enclosure part 31. The connector main body part 43 has a recess 44 in its center. First ends of the contacts 50 are arranged in the recess 44. As shown in FIG. 2, second ends (the other ends) 51 of the contacts 50 are arranged on the rear side of the main body 41.
The board-side connector 40 is provided at an end of a printed board 60 by fitting a leg part 45a of the latch metal fitting 45 into a hole in the printed board 60 and soldering the other ends 51 of the contacts 50 to corresponding pads on the printed board 60.
A housing 70 of an electronic apparatus has a panel 71. An opening 72 corresponding to the board-side connector 40 is formed in the panel 71.
As shown in FIG. 2, the printed board 60 on which the board-side connector 40 is provided is incorporated in the housing 70 of the electronic apparatus with the connector main body part 43 and the latch metal fittings 45 and 46 projecting in the Y2 direction from the opening 72.
As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, by pressing the cable-side connector 10 in the Y1 direction against the board-side connector 40, the insertion part 18 is fitted into the recess 44 so that the contacts of the cable-side connector 10 come into contact with the corresponding contacts 51 of the board-side connector 40, and the enclosure part 31 is fitted around the connector main body part 43. Thus, the cable-side connector 10 is connected to the board-side connector 40 with the hook parts 14 being engaged with and latched to the latch metal fittings 45 and 46.
Even when the cable 11 is pulled, the cable-side connector 10 is not removed from the board-side connector 40 because the hook parts 14 are engaged with the latch metal fittings 45 and 46.
Reference may be made to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2004-111249 for the above-described technique.
According to the above-described connector connection structure, the latch metal fittings 45 and 46 are provided on the board-side connector 40. Therefore, if the cable 11 catches something and is pulled hard, this force F acts directly on the board-side connector 40 through the latch metal fittings 45 and 46. Therefore, depending on situation, the board-side connector 40 may be damaged, or too much force may act on the soldered parts of the other ends 51 of the contacts 50 and the pads on the printed board 60 so as to cause cracks therein, thus causing poor electrical connection.